Day Cruising Gulf of St. LawrenceCruising Only The Gulf of St. Lawrence is an incredibly diverse and complex marine and estuary ecosystem and is one of the largest of its kind in the world. It's a busy and productive part of the ocean that has unique species, some that live there year-round, and others, like whales, which travel long distances just to visit this special spot. The area is made up of freshwater from the Canadian Shield, the Great Lakes basin and the St. Lawrence River system emptying out into the Atlantic Ocean, where it combines with the cold Labrador Current from the Arctic and the warm Gulf Stream from the tropics.
Day Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, CanadaArrives 08:00 AM Departs 05:00 PM "Charlottetown is the capital of Canada's smallest province, Prince Edward Island, as well as its largest city, though it has fewer than 35,000 residents. Despite its modest size, the city has an impressive number of Victorian houses and buildings and great parks waiting to be explored. For Canadians, it is perhaps most famous as the Birthplace of Confederation. It was here, mostly at Province House, that an 1864 conference led to the creation of the Dominion of Canada.
Prince Edward Island is linked to New Brunswick on the mainland of Canada by the 13-kilometer (eight-mile) Confederation Bridge that soars over the Northumberland Strait. A remarkable feat of engineering, the bridge opened in 1997 and is the longest in the world over icy waters.
Sites within downtown Charlottetown include the lovely Victoria Row, which becomes a pedestrian mall each summer, and other historic buildings, some of which are now museums. Nearby Prince Edward Island National Park is home to white-sand beaches and hiking and biking trailsâplus fans can see the house and farm that inspired the beloved book Anne of Green Gables. During your visit, you can also learn about the daily lives, past and present, of residents on lighthouse and boat tours.
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Day Sydney, Nova Scotia, CanadaArrives 08:00 AM Departs 05:00 PM "Sydney is the largest city on Cape Breton Island, which is linked by causeway to the rest of Nova Scotia. Sydney's attractions start at the harbor, where visitors can shop for locally made crafts and see the world's largest fiddle, which towers beside the port's cruise pavilion. Some of the city's historic houses and churches date back to the 1700s and 1800s and are open for tours. Restaurants often provide live music (expect fiddles and sea chanteys) along with meals of seafood fresh-caught in nearby waters. Sydney's galleries give visitors a chance to meet local artists and purchase their work.
Cape Breton's natural wonders include the spectacular scenic drive known as the Cabot Trail. Hikers in Cape Breton Highlands National Park will find stunning vistas around every turn, while a boat ride on massive Bras d'Or Lake, which is ringed by wild hills, offers a different perspective on the province. Explore the region's past with a visit to the Fortress of Louisbourg National Historic Site, and learn about the area's First Nations communities at Membertou Heritage Park. If you decide to go deep underground at the Cape Breton Miners Museum, your tour guide is likely to be a man who toiled for years in the island's coal mines and has many stories to tell. Another must-see: the Alexander Graham Bell National Historic Site, where the famous inventor made his summer home.
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Day Halifax, Nova Scotia, CanadaArrives 08:00 AM Departs 04:00 PM The ports of New England and eastern Canada bear witness to fascinating histories and vibrant cultures that continue to thrive to this day. Approaching these cities from the sea offers a memorable perspective: For many immigrants to North America, their first glimpse of their new lives would be from the decks of ships sailing into these harbors. While the fishing villages of New England and Canada's Atlantic Provinces embody a long seafaring tradition, neither region is frozen in time. World-class museums and celebrated restaurants sit side by side with historic sites. Whether you want to explore the early days of Canada and the United States or see what the future holds for their metropolises, a journey along North America's Atlantic coast promises to be unforgettable.
Day Bar Harbor, Maine, USArrives 07:00 AM Departs 05:00 PM "Located on Mount Desert Island in Maine, Bar Harbor is the quintessential New England coastal town. Picturesque and charming, it is a scenic and walkable town with streets lined with restaurants and boutiques. Dining on lobster is a must, as is a scoop or two at one of the town's homemade ice cream shops. Boat tours explore the waters and islands that surround Bar Harbor, with seasonal opportunities to see wildlifeâincluding whalesâand lighthouses along the way.
Bar Harbor is surrounded by the magnificent Acadia National Park, making the area an adventurer's playground. The park, which is celebrating its centennial in 2016, is home to sites such as Cadillac Mountain, the tallest mountain along the eastern coast of the United States and the first place in the country to see the sun rise. Guests can hike, bike or take a horse-and-carriage ride to explore Acadia's lakes and striking coastline. Take advantage of the best bargain in Bar Harbor during your visit: The free Island Explorer buses take guests to Acadia's major sites and to other nearby destinations.
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Day Boston, Massachusetts, USArrives 07:00 AM The ports of New England and eastern Canada bear witness to fascinating histories and vibrant cultures that continue to thrive to this day. Approaching these cities from the sea offers a memorable perspective: For many immigrants to North America, their first glimpse of their new lives would be from the decks of ships sailing into these harbors. While the fishing villages of New England and Canada's Atlantic Provinces embody a long seafaring tradition, neither region is frozen in time. World-class museums and celebrated restaurants sit side by side with historic sites. Whether you want to explore the early days of Canada and the United States or see what the future holds for their metropolises, a journey along North America's Atlantic coast promises to be unforgettable.